Some high jewellery collections begin with gems. Fascinating Egypt begins with a civilisation. Van Cleef & Arpels latest high jewellery collection draws from more than 3,000 years of history, mythology and symbolism, exploring everything from pharaohs scarabs, sacred animals and hieroglyphics to royal treasures. While Fascinating Egypt may be new, the Maison’s fascination with Ancient Egypt has lasted at least a century.
Read about how the Art Deco movement influenced Cartier’s latest high jewellery collection Le Chœur des Pierres
Since Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 and for more than a century, Van Cleef & Arpels has returned repeatedly to Egyptian art and culture as a source of inspiration. The discovery sparked a wave of Egyptomania across the West. Ancient Egyptian motifs and geometric designs influenced everything, from art, architecture and fashion to interior arts and jewellery.
For jewellers, Egypt offered a new visual language. Egyptian art sat naturally alongside the nascent Art Deco movement. The rich bright colours of Egyptian designs inspired bold combinations of emeralds, sapphires, rubies, lapis lazuli and onyx and Van Cleef & Arpels embraced the trend wholeheartedly.
In 1923, the Maison created its Egyptian Pattern long necklace, followed by a bracelet in 1924. Brooches, chatelaines and decorative objects combined the graphic deco geometry with vibrant coloured stones, creating jewels that felt both modern as well as ancient. These early creations helped establish visual codes associated with Egypt that would continue for decades.
This connection deepened further through the house’s relationship with Egypt’s then royal family. Throughout the twentieth century, Van Cleef & Arpels created commissions for Queen Nazli and Princess Faiza, two figures whose patronage would become woven into the Maison’s history. Among the most celebrated creations was a diamond collar and a remarkable emerald-set necklace created for Princess Faiza, pieces that remain important references in the archives. These historical links provide the foundations for Fascinating Egypt.
Comprising around 180 high jewellery creations, the collection explores both the reality and mythology of Ancient Egypt. Rather than focusing solely on archaeological references, it moves between history, legend and imagination, drawing on the rich symbolism that has captivated the art world for generations.
Many of the collection’s motifs would have been instantly recognisable to the ancient Egyptians themselves. Scarabs, symbols of rebirth and protection, appear throughout the collection. Hieroglyphics are hidden within intricate settings. Sacred animals and mythological creatures emerge in sculpture but made from diamonds and coloured gemstones. Winged griffins, pharaohs and depictions of Cleopatra add further layers of storytelling, transforming individual jewels into miniature stories.
Elsewhere, the collection references the architecture of Ancient Egypt. Broad gold cuffs evoke temple columns and monumental stone structures, while geometric compositions echo the balance and symmetry found throughout Egyptian art. Pieces such as the Cardinal d’émeraude ring and Ornement de saphir necklace demonstrate how these ancient design principles can still feel strikingly contemporary.
Among the standout creations is the Paysage Secret bracelet, a flexible gold cuff whose architectural columns conceal a hieroglyphic inscription translating as “horizon of eternity”. This piece particularly captures spirit of the collection: craftsmanship, symbolism and hidden storytelling.
Another highlight, Princesse du Nil, establishes a direct connection between the collection and the Maison’s own history. Inspired by a historic collaret once worn by Princess Faiza, it demonstrates how Fascinating Egypt is as much about Van Cleef & Arpels’ relationship with Egypt as it is about Ancient Egypt itself.
That distinction is what makes the collection particularly compelling. Rather than treating Egypt as a passing source of inspiration, Fascinating Egypt acknowledges a creative dialogue that has existed within the Maison for more than a century.
From the Egyptian Pattern necklace of 1923 to the extraordinary high jewellery creations unveiled today, Van Cleef & Arpels has continually returned to the civilisation’s art, mythology and symbolism. Fascinating Egypt is simply the latest chapter in that story, proof that some sources of inspiration never lose their power.
For the latest jewellery stories straight to your inbox sign up here
